World Sailing and Rolex invite nominations for World Sailor of the Year

Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2018 © World Sailing

The nomination period for individuals to submit who they believe should be crowned Rolex World Sailor of the Year is now open.

Anyone can nominate male and female sailors in any discipline of the sport.

Nominate a sailor (or crew) for the 2018 Rolex World Sailor of the Year here.

Sailors nominated must have performed an "outstanding achievement in the sport of sailing between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018".

Nominations must be received by World Sailing no later than 19.00 UTC on Saturday 1 September 2018.

World Sailing will draw up a shortlist of nominations with the highest and most inspirational achievers going on to become the 2018 Rolex World Sailor of the Year Nominees.

On Tuesday 30 October 2018, the winners will be announced at the World Sailing Awards Ceremony in Sarasota, Florida, USA.

The Awards night is the social highlight of the World Sailing Annual Conference and 2018 is set to be a groundbreaking edition with the introduction of the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award, the Team of the Year and the Boat of the Year.

More on the new awards and how to submit a nomination here.

Alongside Rolex World Sailor of the Year and the new Awards, the Beppe Croce Trophy, President Development Award and eSailing World Championship Trophy will be presented.

The World Sailing Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and exceptional contributions to the sport of sailing. The highlight of the annual Awards night is the presentation of the ultimate recognition of excellence - the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award.

Following the announcement of the nominees and ahead of the evening, World Sailing will invite the sailing community, sports fan and the public to vote for who they believe should be crowned male and female Rolex World Sailor of the Year.

The Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards is the most prestigious award of recognition in the dynamic sport of sailing. Since the awards' inception in 1994, the trophy has proudly accumulated the names of those who have demonstrated unparalleled endurance, performance and accomplishment in sailing.

Beginning with Sir Peter Blake and Sir Robin Knox Johnston, the inaugural winners, the trophy reads like the definitive who's who in sailing.

Previous recipients of the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award include:

2017 Peter Burling (NZL), Marit Bouwmeester (NED)
2016 Santiago Lange (ARG), Hannah Mills & Saskia Clark (GBR).
2015 Peter Burling & Blair Tuke (NZL), Sarah Ayton (GBR)
2014 James Spithill (AUS), Martine Grael & Kahena Kunze (BRA)
2013 Mat Belcher (AUS), Jo Aleh & Polly Powrie (NZL)
2012 Ben Ainslie (GBR), Lijia Xu (CHN)
2011 Iker Martinez & Xabier Fernandez (ESP), Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)
2010 Tom Slingsby (AUS), Blanca Manchon (ESP)
2009 Torben Grael (BRA), Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)
2008 Ben Ainslie (GBR), Alessandra Sensini (ITA)
2007 Ed Baird (USA), Claire Leroy (FRA)
2006 Mike Sanderson (NZL), Paige Railey (USA)
2005 Fernando Echavarri & Anton Paz (ESP), Ellen MacArthur (GBR)
2004 Robert Scheidt (BRA), Sofia Bekatorou & Emilia Tsoulfa (GRE)
2003 Russell Coutts (SUI), Siren Sundby (NOR)
2002 Ben Ainslie (GBR), Sofia Bekatorou & Emilia Tsoulfa (GRE)
2001 Robert Scheidt (BRA), Ellen MacArthur (GBR)
2000 Mark Reynolds & Magnus Liljedahl (USA), Shirley Robertson (GBR)
1999 Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL), Margriet Matthijse (NED)
1998 Ben Ainslie (GBR), Carolijn Brouwer (NED)
1997 Pete Goss (GBR), Ruslana Taran & Elena Pakholchik (UKR)
1996 Jochen Schümann (GER), Lai Shan Lee (HKG)
1995 Russell Coutts (NZL), Isabelle Autissier (FRA)
1994 Peter Blake (NZL) & Robin Knox-Johnston (GBR), Theresa Zabell (ESP)